A Friendly Dinner
by agentpiperh
Summary: It was just a friendly dinner...right?
1. Chapter One Temperance

**Summary**: It was just a friendly dinner…right?

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Bones, Temperance, Booth, Zach, Hodgins, Angela, the Jeffersonian, or DC. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction. It'd be on TV.

**Feedback:** Absolutely!

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**Chapter One- Temperance**

The Medico-Legal was quiet as Dr. Temperance Brennan studied the pelvic bone in her hand. Jotting down a final note, Temperance put down the bone and her pen and sighed. Her sigh seemed to echo and reverberate around the empty room. Zach, Hodgins, Angela, and the rest of the people who worked in the lab had at least an hour ago. As usual, Temperance was the last to leave.

Temperance brought a now latex-free hand up to the back of her neck to rub out the kink there. As she rubbed, a though occurred to her, and checked her watch, she hurried off to the restroom. Earlier that day, while at a crime scene, Booth had offered, or nearly forced her, to go out and have dinner. After all, Booth said, she needed a change of scenery, and it was just a friendly dinner. Unable to find a way to refuse, Temperance reluctantly agreed.

As she checked herself in the mirror, she wondered what exactly had stopped her from saying no. She'd never had qualms with being curt with Booth before. While Temperance applied her lip gloss, she paused and chuckled at herself, 'primping' for dinner with Booth. With some surprise, she realized she had the unfamiliar sensation of butterflies in her stomach.

"The body's natural reaction to nervousness or anxiousness, most commonly experienced before or during a public appearance and/or performance or….a date."

Temperance muttered to her reflection, eyes widening at her last two words_. A date? This was a friendly dinner with Booth, someone she worked with. Right?_ Figures. The first time she could remember having butterflies in her stomach, and she was having dinner with Boot. She'd shared meals with him before. Why was she feeling different tonight? Temperance stubbornly shook that thought out of her head. She removed the elastic from her ponytail and shook out her hair, combing her fingers through it, fixing it as well as she could. She checked her watched again. 8:28. Booth was supposed to meet her outside the lab at 8:30, but he was probably already there, Squaring her shoulders, Temperance said out loud,

"It's just a friendly dinner with a friend and coworker, just like you've done before millions of times."

With a nod to her reflection, she left the restroom. However, as she headed for the door of the lab, she wasn't so sure.

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So? What did you think? Shall I continue? Review please! Just click that purple-blue button there… 


	2. Chapter Two Booth

All disclaimers and summary in first chapter.

**gossipgirl1031: **I didn't actually think of doing both of their points of view. Thanks for the idea.

Thanks for all your input, everyone who reviewed, and enjoy the next chapter.

**Note: **The restaurant in this chapter, Tony's is a restaurant I made up. It has no basis in real life.

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**Chapter Two- Booth**

Thoughts made their way through Booth's head as he parked his car in the Jeffersonian parking lot. When he'd approached Temperance Brennan that afternoon, he'd had only the best of intentions. Dinner together, while not the most common of occurrences, was a casual affair when it did. If they were too late to eat out, they'd have takeout at one of their apartments. Friendly banter would be exchanged, usually shop talk, though the more grisly details would be left out as neither wanted to lose their appetite- or dinner.

Something felt different about tonight, though, Booth thought as he made his way to the front door. He had decided to take Temperance out to Tony's, a small Italian restaurant. It wasn't a fancy restaurant, but it was nicer than the places they usually went to. Booth though Temperance deserved a nice night out with friend. _Was that what it was? Dinner with a friend? _Lately Booth had begun to feel different around Temperance. Leaning against the wall outside the lab entrance, Booth realized he actually looked forward to seeing her in the mornings and her smile always made his heart beat a little faster. Not to mention he'd caught himself wanting to kiss her quite a few times in past few days. _What would those lips taste like? _He wondered. _Feel like? _

Mentally slapping himself, Booth told himself it was just a passing awareness that she was female, after all she was attractive, and he'd have to be dead not to notice her. Besides, she'd never shown any signs of liking him in any other way besides friends or coworkers. _Yeah. _Booth thought. _It'll pass soon enough._

Just then, the doors to the Medico-Legal lab opened. Temperance came through them, gave him a smile and turned to make sure the doors locked. Pushing off from the wall, Booth straightened out his suit. Looking at Temperance, he saw that she wore the same clothes she'd worn all day, not surprisingly. However, he also noticed that her hair was down, framing her face in soft brown waves. Also, he detected the shine of lip gloss on her lips. _She looks nice,_ he thought.

"Hey." Temperance stopped in front of him, jarring him from his thoughts.

"Bones. Ready to go?" Booth greeted her. They started walking towards his car.

"Don't call me Bones. Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise." Booth grinned opening the car door and sliding in.

"Oh come on. I hate surprises." Temperance complained as she slid into the passenger side and closed the door.

"Too bad." Booth started up the engine and shifted into reverse.

As he backed out of the parking spot and drove away from the Jeffersonian, he couldn't help but hope that this evening would turn out to be more than just a friendly dinner.

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And there you have it. Booth's point of view. Thoughts? Comments? Review, please!  



	3. Chapter Three Dinner

All disclaimers in chapters 1&2.

_(**Story Note:** Note that Booth didn't open the car door for Temperance in the last chapter.)_

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**Chapter Three- Dinner**

Temperance looked out the window as Booth pulled into a spot in the parking lot of Tony's. She hadn't expected Booth to pick such a nice restaurant.

"Tony's?" She asked incredulously.

"Yeah. Is that a problem?" Booth asked.

"No, just wondering why you chose it." Temperance replied as they approached the restaurant.

"I felt like Italian. Work for you?" asked Booth.

"Sure. No complaint."

Booth gave his name to the woman behind the counter and she led them to a table in the back, near a window. Booth pulled out Temperance's chair for her, waiting for her to sit down before sitting down himself, surprising her. Both of them studied their menus in silence, neither really sure of what to say.

A few minutes later, a waitress came to their table and asked if they were ready to order. Booth looked at Temperance, indicating that she should order first.

"I'll have the shrimp linguini please." Temperance handed the waitress her menu.

Booth cleared his throat. "I'll have the chicken parmesan and a bottle of red wine for both of us."

"Both of your orders come with a salad and the soup du jour." The waitress clarified. At their nods, the waitress jotted down their orders and left, leaving Temperance and Booth to another awkward silence.

"So, uh, how's the case going?" Booth broke the silence.

"Slowly. No ID, no hit on the dental records. I'm hoping something in the skeleton will be unique enough for identification." Temperance settled into the shoptalk, thankful for the conversation. They compared notes on the case until their orders arrived. Conversation continued over soup and salad. The pasta arrived afterwards and Booth poured them both some wine.

Halfway through the meal, Booth reached over and speared a shrimp from Temperance's plate and ate it. Temperance watched with a raised eyebrow and an annoyed expression. Seconds later, her fork snaked across the table and stabbed a piece of chicken off Booth's plate. As she chewed, she couldn't help the grin that was spreading across her face. Booth began to grin as well. Soon, they were both laughing.

Still chuckling, Temperance reached for the bottle of wine at the same time as Booth. Their hands met. When she felt his hand brush hers, she drew in a breath, a warm fuzzy, feeling going though her. Booth refilled both their glasses, raising his for a sip. Temperance grabbed her wine glass and took an overly large gulp, hoping he couldn't see the blush she was sure she had, judging by the burn in her cheeks. Catching his amused expression, she scrabbled for an excuse.

"Thirsty." She said lamely.

"I believe water would suit your needs better." Booth said, gesturing towards the glasses of water on the table.

She glared at him over her upraised glass. "Shut up." She took another sip, this time smaller, and set down the glass.

Booth himself hadn't been unaffected. He'd purposefully stolen a shrimp from her plate to provoke her. He'd gotten the smile he was hoping to see. Her laughter was infectious and laughing had released the tension from the case from both of them. He hadn't been prepared for the feelings that assailed him when their hands met though. Feeling her hand, soft and silky, had made his heart race, and truth be told, he'd been a little disappointed when she pulled it away. The flush in her cheeks and the gulp of wine stunned him. _She feels the same way! _He reveled in the knowledge of this.

Conversation was amicable and light throughout the rest of dinner, and they both avoided talking about what had just happened. After dessert, Booth paid the bill, leaving a generous tip, and they exited the restaurant. Watching the way Temperance's hair shone in the streetlights, Booth's brain shut down.

Reaching the car door and realizing Booth was not on the other side as he should be, Temperance turned around. And found Booth standing barely a foot behind her.

"Booth, what are you doing?" Booth stepped, and Temperance backed up. Her back met the car, and Booth stood well inside her personal space. "Bo-"

The rest of her sentence was drowned out by Booth's lips on hers. Temperance automatically went to free herself, but resistance faded as he continued to kiss her.

_Her lips feel soft and warm, _He thought._ She tastes like honey._ Temperance melted into him and they kissed for several minutes more, arms wrapping around each others, tongues exploring. Slowly, reason crept back into Temperance's mind. Breaking off the kiss, she looked into his eyes.

"What are we doing?" She asked.

"Kissing." Booth leaned back in, but she dodged.

"No, I mean, where is this going? Do you actually have feelings for me like I do for you, or…" She broke off and her eyes widened as she realized what she just blurted out.

That got Booth's attention. "You have feeling for me? Really?"

"Well don't get so full of yourself." Temperance retorted.

"I meant that I do have feelings for you, I just didn't know you felt the same way." Booth was in awe.

"Well, I do. But I think we should take this slowly. See where this takes us."

"So, are we dating now, or still friends?" Booth asked, hoping vehemently for the former.

"I think we can date." Temperance grinned shyly.

"Sounds good to me. Let's get you home. It's late and we need sleep." Booth grinned back. They climbed into the car, and Booth drove off.

Temperance practically floated into her apartment. She barely registered getting ready for bed as her mind stayed stuck on their kiss. She fell asleep dreaming of Booth. Booth's night went much the same way.

Their last coherent thought before sleep and dreams claimed them: _"Maybe this is love."_

The End?

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I'm thinking of maybe adding one more chapter of the next and maybe everyone finding out. Hmm…..if inspiration strikes, who knows?

Review! Let me know what you think.


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